FAST FOOD TRENDS

by Chef J. Hugh
(Sweet Home, Chicago !)

Here are a few of the latest happenings in Fast Food Trends
- from the Center for Culinary Development.

KFC to roll out grilled chicken...A whole new KFC experience is arriving with the new grilled chicken menu. The poultry is actually roasted in an automated, high-temperature convection oven on a patented non-stick “grill plate” to stripe the chicken with grill markings. (Nations Restaurant News (NRN), 12/10)

NRA survey charts top trends for ’09...It’s always rewarding to see other organizations confirming the arrival of trends we’ve been tracking for awhile. In this year’s National Restaurant Association Chef Survey, we see some familiar topics: locally grown foods, a long-time topic in our past Chefs’ Council® surveys; healthful kids’ food (profiled in our Kids’ Food Culinary Trend Mapping Report (CTMR); quinoa (in our Look Back CTMR; and gluten-free foods, profiled in our Baked Goods CTMR from 2006. (NRN, 12/10)

Subway to test Seattle’s Best coffee... 1,900 Subway locations are going to test Seattle’s Best coffee to see if the sandwich chain can join the coffee competition among QSRs. The coffee brand is owned by Starbucks and offers the coffeehouse another way to compete with McDonald’s recently expanded coffee and espresso menu. (NRN, 12/11)

For eateries, oatmeal is hotter...Between its comforting texture and healthful appeal, oatmeal is scoring big for eateries lately. Starbucks has done well with its customizable “perfect oatmeal” and Jamba Juice plans to add the morning staple to its menus soon. These new on-the-go offerings are skewing more upscale and include steel-cut oats, which take longer to cook making it appealing to buy ready-made. (Wall Street Journal, 12/18)

Burger King tries mini-burgers on for size...BK Burger Shots, two connected mini burgers, did so well overseas that the chain is testing them on the East Coast as a limited time offer. A six-pack version may also be available, called Burger Buddies. We profiled New Fangled Sliders in our Hand-Held CTMR and have been waiting for a QSR other than White Castle to bring them back! (NRN, 12/23)

Baskin-Robbins to offer new “healthy” ice cream...A new line of better-for-you treats are now available at the ice cream chain. BRight Choices will include light and reduced fat, no- sugar-added ice cream as well as dairy-free sorbet and fat-free frozen yogurt. Just in time for New Year’s diets! (Business Week, 12/29)

Going for goat...We’ve been tracking goat since our Meat Culinary Trend Mapping Report in 2007. It continues to gain popularity in the Bay Area’s fine dining restaurants such as Moroccan Aziza (San Francisco), Greek Evvia Estiatorio (Palo Alto) and Mexican Birrieria Jalisco (San Jose), where birria, a chile-spiked goat stew, is a signature dish. (Mercury News, 12/30)

Time’s Top Ten Food Trends for 2008: #7. Goat...Time agrees: Goat meat is catching on with American diners because of its leanness and roots to small farms. Chefs’ Council® member Marsha McBride frequently prepares goat at her Berkeley restaurant Café Rouge. (Time, 12/11/08)

The food-obsessed’s wish list for 2009...Our friends at the San Francisco Chronicle shared their lists of items they are tired of seeing in restaurants and what predictions they have for the future. Ring out: the $20-plus hamburger, lavender in food, tuna tartare, savory desserts. Ring in: Layer cakes, Jewish delis, sustainable sushi, dark poultry meat. (San Francisco Chronicle, 12/ 31)